ArcelorMittal Belgium has announced that the information and consultation phase regarding the planned closure of its tailored blanks operations in Ghent has officially been completed.
The company had previously revealed its intention to discontinue the activity earlier this year, citing persistent financial losses and declining automotive production levels across Europe as key drivers behind the proposed shutdown, as SteelOrbis reported previously.
Social dialogue and employee proposals reviewed
During the consultation process, management provided additional clarification on the restructuring plan, while employee representatives and social partners submitted questions, feedback and counterproposals. According to the company, these discussions were conducted within a transparent and constructive social dialogue framework.
In parallel, ArcelorMittal and labor representatives jointly developed a social plan designed to mitigate the impact on affected employees during the transition period. The agreed social plan received approval from 71.11 percent of the employees concerned.
ArcelorMittal stated that it remains committed to supporting workers throughout the transition and implementing all agreed accompanying measures.
Following the completion of consultations, the final decision regarding the proposed closure of the Ghent tailored blanks operations will now be taken by the company’s board of directors.
